Backlights provide substantially uniform illumination for a light-gating type display, such as a liquid crystal display. Displays such as liquid crystal displays that rely on polarization manipulation to form images may use efficient light recycling cavities in order to convert light of an unusable polarization (e.g. light that would be otherwise absorbed by the liquid crystal module) into light of a usable polarization. Structured reflectors use a shaped reflector in order to manipulate or redirect light.